Here in the Burn The Fat Cardio Training department, you will find real answers to real questions submitted from Inner Circle members on the topics of exercise questions and general training program questions.

Nearly all of these columns are Inner Circle members-only exclusives which cannot be found on any other website. Almost every column is written by Tom personally. Tom is well-known for the way he answers questions and writes articles with more specifics and details than any other diet or fitness column in the world. You will not find more thorough answers to your most pressing questions - anywhere!

The Great Cardio Debate: HIIT Versus LISSAh, the great cardio debate: longer sessions of low intensity steady state cardio (LISS) versus shorter sessions of high-intensity interval training (HITT). Which is better? The experts have been battling on this one for years and still are! When you want nothing but weight loss, that's one thing, but when you want to retain muscle or when your time is limited, the choice you make is important. When people want answers on cardio, they call on Tom Venuto as they did again here... . . . keep reading

A Seat at the Cardio RoundtableThe Alan Aragon Research Review (AARR) has become the premier publication for "science nerds" and other fitness fanatics who are dedicated to the evidence-based approach to fitness, fat loss, bodybuilding and athletic performance. Ocasionally, the AARR includes a special feature such as a guest article or a "roundtable" article featuring several experts. I was recently invited to the AARR "cardio roundtable" as a participant who could discuss the science behind his recommendations, as well as bring personal experience from years of bodybuilding... To find out the science-based bottom line on cardio, read on... . . . keep reading

Intensity or Insanity? How Much Training Effort is Enough?By Tom VenutoIs the intensity of your workout is"THE THING" that gives you results or is it more about being consistent with your workouts? Many of the hottest new workout trends and home exercise DVD's advertise themselves as "super intense" even to the point of calling them "insanity." Some users however, have discovered that they're feeling exhausted and downright beat up trying to keep up with these kinds of workouts every day. They wonder if the "brings you to your knees" intensity is worth the torture. Is it? Find out in the latest Burn the Fat Q & A.. . . . keep reading

Is It Good To Do BOTH: Long steady state AND Brief High Intensity Interval Cardio (HIIT)?By Tom VenutoThe never-ending cardio debate! It's unfortunate that there's so much dissension about cardio among trainers because in trying to prove or advocate their personal ideology (or use it for marketing), they do an injustice to their clients and readers. You end up confused because you listen to different sources and you end up short-changed because "my way is the only way" approach is limiting your options. I believe in "the law of requisite variety" which is a principle from the field of cybernetics: The person (or system) with the most choices or options has the most power." Read the latest Burn the Fat Q & A to find out why this is so true for cardio... . . . keep reading

The Spartacus Workout And Circuit Training: Is This Good For Cardio?By Tom VenutoEvery time a movie or TV series full of buff bods hits the screen, it seems some enterprising trainer releases a workout program in its namesake. The 300 workout was an internet sensation, with the trainer's behind it claiming it was responsible for all those six pack abs and rippling muscles you saw on the big screen. More recently, the Spartacus workout has been making it's rounds. The question is - are these "Hollywood workouts" really effective or just the latest fitness gimmick... and if they are good, how should you fit them into your training regime - as cardio or resistance training? . . . keep reading

Why Cardio Doesn't Work For Some People, Part 2: A NEAT ExplanationBy Tom VenutoExercise is an important part of any fat loss program because it helps you increase your total number of calories burned and easily achieve the calorie deficit you need to burn fat. However, some studies have paradoxically shown that adding exercise on top of diet doesn't increase weight loss much more than the diet alone. That prompted some people to say, "don't bother with exercise - just diet." That's bad advice and a new study from the University of Queensland found a NEAT explanation why... . . . keep reading

A New Model for Practical and Effective Interval Training: All-Out Sprints vs Hard IntervalsBy Tom VenutoHigh intensity interval training (HIIT), has become immensely popular in the last decade. HIIT involves alternating brief bursts of very high intensity exercise (work intervals) with brief segments of lower intensity exercise (recovery intervals). One problem with some types of HIIT is that they call for extremely intense bursts - literally all out sprints - that are not practical for everyone, and possibly not even safe for some individuals. A new study out of McMaster University has tested a protocol for HIIT that produces impressive results in a short period of time without the need for all-out exertion…... . . . keep reading

Can Too Much Cardio Decrease Your Metabolism?By Tom VenutoAdding more cardio to your exercise regimen will only help increase your fat loss right? If all else remains equal, the answer is usually yes: more calories burned = bigger calorie deficit = more fat loss. However, if you go overboard with your cardio, could the excessive training volume actually backfire on you and decrease your metabolism? If so, how do you avoid this? How much cardio is too much? What is the ideal way to balance between calories eaten and calories burned? Find out in this new Burn the Fat Q & A column... . . . keep reading

An Insanely Effective Type of Interval TrainingBy Tom VenutoHigh intensity interval training can be done in a variety of different ways. Here's a wickedly-effective type of interval training: it requires no machines or fancy equipment, you can do it outside in the sunshine and fresh air, it develops killer conditioning, carves out legs like a sprinter, and burns calories at an accelerated rate...There is no single best way to do interval training but this method is breathtakingly effective! To keep reading Click Here... . . . keep reading

The Truth About High-Intensity Interval Training: Does HIIT REALLY Burn 9X More Fat?Tom VenutoHigh Intensity Interval Training, (HIIT), has been promoted as one of the most effective training methods ever to come down the pike, both for fat loss and for cardiovascular fitness. One of the most popular claims for HIIT is that it burns "9 times more fat" than conventional (steady state) cardio. This figure was taken from a study performed by Angelo Tremblay at Laval University in 1994. But what if I told you that HIIT has never been proven 9 times more effective than regular cardio… What if I told you that the same study actually shows that HIIT is 5 times less effective than steady state cardio? Read on and see the proof for yourself. . . . keep reading

The Truth About The Fat-Burning ZoneBy Tom VenutoYou've been told for years that you need to exercise at a certain intensity - a level known as the "fat burning zone" - in order to burn fat at the optimum rate. The problem is, the "fat burning zone" is a myth. While many fitness myths have been busted over the years, this one never seems to die because on the surface it appears totally logical. Once and for all get the truth about the fat burning zone and find out the real key to burning the maximum amount of fat... . . . keep reading

Concurrent Strength And Aerobic Training:
Does Cardio Interfere With Your Muscle Gains?By Tom VenutoIt is widely believed today that endurance training, also known as aerobic exercise or cardio, can hold back your strength and muscle gains. There's no doubt that excessive cardio added on top of a weight training program can create an interference effect. The real question is, how much is too much? Is there room for both or will cardio kill your strength and chew up your muscle? See what the science says - the answer may surprise you! . . . keep reading

Is Yoga a Good Fat-Burning Cardio Workout?By Tom VenutoYoga has become immensely popular in the last decade and many people consider it a kick butt workout, not to mention the great stretch you get and the relaxation afterward. In Bikram yoga, the room is heated to 100 F, and fans say the class is especially intense. Bikram, the founder, claims that you burn about 700 calories per class. But what does the research say? Is yoga really a good fat burner or a replacement for traditional cardio? . . . keep reading

Should You Do Your Cardio Before Or After Weight Training?By Tom VenutoQUESTION: What should I do first, cardio or weights? The reason I ask is because I heard that high intensity weight training burns more carbs while low intensity burns more fat. So I was wondering, wouldn't you deplete the glycogen (carbs) from doing the weight training first, allowing you to burn more fat during the low intensity cardio afterwards? . . . keep reading

Cardio Adaptation is Not the EnemyBy Brian NordbergSome people argue against cardio because they believe your body will eventually adapt, and as it does, the cardio becomes less and less effective, so "why bother?" they claim. However, this is an almost completely faulty argument on more than one level. In this article, special guest author Brian Nordberg, who used plenty of cardio as well as weight training to shed 122 lbs of fat, explains what cardio adaptation really means, and why it's not the enemy after all... . . . keep reading

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